The present invention relates to industrial circuit breakers and particularly to circuit breakers equipped with stored energy mechanisms.
In a number of rather specialized applications it is desirable that a circuit breaker be capable of immediately reclosing after it has opened. For example, in the case of critical circuits where service interruptions are tolerable only as an absolute necessity, it is desired that the circuit breaker protecting this circuit, when tripped open in response to a fault condition, immediately or after an established short time delay, reclose on the chance that the sensed fault condition was of a momentary nature. If indeed this is the case, electrical service is restored after a tolerably brief interruption. However, if the fault condition persists, the circuit breaker is again automatically tripped to interrupt service. Alternatively, the interval between breaker opening and reclosure may be utilized to allow time for a downstream branch circuit protective device to clear the fault condition. Thus, upon reclosure of the breaker, service is restored to the sound portion of the distribution circuit.
In another application of increasing commercial significance, stored energy, reclosure type circuit breakers are being utilized to protect electronic (static) circuit breakers in uninterruptible power supplies under fault conditions.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved stored energy, reclosure type circuit breaker.
An additional object is to provide a circuit breaker of the above-character which includes a stored energy mechanism capable of holding a charge while the breaker is in either its open or closed circuit conditions.
A further object is to provide a circuit breaker of the above-character which is capable of closing, opening, reclosing and reopening in rapid succession without recharging the stored energy mechanism.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a molded case, industrial circuit breaker of the above-character having an exceptional fast operating mechanism which is exceedingly compact in size and both versatile and reliable in operation.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.